Court to sitcom writers: dirty jokes are actionable

[freepatriot32]

Amaani Lyle was fired four months into her job for Warner Brothers as a writers' assistant on "Friends" because she couldn't type fast enough to record the writers' dictation accurately. She sued for sexual harassment because the comedy writers would regularly make jokes about women and sex in the process of writing a sitcom about the sexual adventures of six thirty-somethings.

A California appeals court has decided that a jury should resolve whether the jokes made by the comedy writers were appropriate for writing a sitcom or whether they created an actionable "hostile working environment for women." Summary judgment was affirmed with respect to the dismissal of her lawsuit against NBC, because NBC did not have the right to hire or fire writers' assistants on the television show, but the court reversed the award of attorneys' fees.

Lyle v. Warner Bros. Television Prod. opinion).

[freepatriot32]

she was fired because she couldnt type fast so she sues fr sexual harrasment whats wrong with this picture ?

[freepatriot32]

ping

[T'wit]

If you type faster, sexual harassment isn't sexual harassment?

[freepatriot32]

apparently that is the case

[Hildy]

That would be like working at the shop where they printPlayboy, and then sue them for sexual harrassment. MONEY MONEY MONEY MONEY MONEY..

[T'wit]

>> the comedy writers would regularly make jokes about women and sex in the process of writing a sitcom about the sexual adventures of six thirty-somethings.

Those rotters! Those blackguards! Those swine! How dare they write jokes for a joke show!!

[The G Man]

That is ... OUTRAGEOUS! It's lewd! Lascivious! It's flaunting society's conventions!

And I know just the man for her to call:

[Wolfie]

She'd be the last female I hired if I ran that production company.

[freepatriot32]

oopos i forgotot post the source overlawered.com

[Howlin]

It has NOTHING to do with sexual harassment.

She is a TYPIST; if she can't type fast enough to get down their "stream of consciousness" remarks, she HAS to be replaced.

It's the nature of the job.

[Howlin]

That would be like working at the shop where they printPlayboy, and then sue them for sexual harrassment.

AFTER they let you go for not being able to run the printing presses!

[7thson]

...because she couldn't type fast enough to record the writers' dictation accurately

I don't know about the sexual harrassment c**p nor do I care about it. This is what jumped out at me. The "writers" are dictating to her? How can they be called "writers" when they are not actually writing anything? I realize this may be the way things are done now, but I wonder how many writers of the past would laugh at these clowns.

[robertpaulsen]

There is this invention called a "tape recorder". Whatever is said is recorded on tape (hence the name) and can be played back anytime, anywhere, over and over.

[Howlin]

Exactly. I am a court reporter and NOBODY that takes verbatim "testimony" of ANY kind doesn't use a Marantz for backup.

[Howlin]

I don't know how it's done, but she may sit in the room with them and TRY to get down everything they are saying, just like she would in a deposition or a trial.

It's obvious she couldn't keep up.

[Taliesan]

The "writers" are dictating to her? How can they be called "writers" when they are not actually writing anything?

It actually sounds like an efficient process, if you'll think for a minute about what they are trying to do. They probably put 2 or 3 writers together (remember, they are composing verbal repartee, not sonnets) and the typist records their free-form brainstorming so they and others (producers, etc) can review it later. It's much quicker to scan such a session in print than to have to listen to it on a recording.

[7thson]

Good point from both of you. I stand corrected.

[ClearCase_guy]

comedy writers would regularly make jokes

This must be stopped!

[Dr. Eckleburg]

There's another element to this. It's said the entire FRIENDS writing staff is gay.

That's the genesis of the problem, IMO. Her typing isn't the issue.

[KarlInOhio]

comedy writers would regularly make jokes

This must be stopped!

In some places it has stopped already.